Handtool-mounting assembly

ABSTRACT

A power tool support assembly having an overhead track for a trolley which supports a balancer on which the power tool is mounted. A retractable drive media conductor joins the tool and the supply source and is coiled about the track to supply the drive media to the tool.

United States Patent 2,866,474 12/1958 Gummere et a1. 137/56 1 2,905,194 9/1959 Smith et al 137/561 2,938,534 5/1960 Bos 137/561 X 3,011,724 12/1961 Eastep 137/355.24 X 3,014,494 12/1961 Scott et a1... 137/561 3,260,508 7/1966 Powell 137135528 X 3,361,155 1/1968 Whitfield..... 137/355.23 3,381,711 5/1968 Fye et a1. 137/615 3,392,703 7/1968 Way et a1 137/561 X Primary Examiner-M. Cary Nelson Assistant ExaminerMichael O. Sturm AttorneyWo1f, Greenfield & Sacks ABSTRACT: A power tool support assembly having an overhead track for a trolley which supports a balancer on which the power tool is mounted. A retractable drive media conductor joins the tool and the supply source and is coiled about the track to supply the drive media to the tool.

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TTORNEYS IIANDTOOL-MOUNTING ASSEMBLY This invention relates to handtools, and more particularly comprises a new and improved overhead support for handtools.

One object of this invention is to provide an overhead support for hand tools which is safe, efficient, and inexpensive to install.

Another object of this invention is to provide an overhead tool support which allows an operator to position the tool at any selected position and which may return automatically to a retracted position when the tool is released if desired.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a tool support which moves freely along a track without binding or twisting and without any loose, dangling hoses or cords.

Another object of this invention is to provide an overhead tool support which in turn may be supported from below or above to facilitate installation.

Yetanother object of this invention is to provide an overhead tool support having a coiled drive media conductor on the support which does not interfere with the movement of the trolley in the track on the support.

To accomplish these and other objects, the tool support of this invention includes among its features an overhead track which encloses a trolley designed to move freely in it. The trolley in turn carries a balancer which is suspended beneath it, and the balancer in turn supports the tool. A coiled drive media conductor is connected at one end to the trolley and at the other end to the supply of the drive media, whether it be air, electricity, or both. A second expandable conductor joins the trolley and tool to supply the media to the tool. The overhead track in turn may be supported from the ceiling above or a surface below and in the preferred embodiment of this invention the tract is itself movable so as to provide greater freedom of movement for the tool.

These and other objects and features of this invention will be better understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of two embodiments thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hand tool and support constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the post of the support system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the trolley within the track in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the trolley and track;

FIG. Sis a detail showing one form of brake system trolley; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modification of this invention.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on a work bench 10 on which the operator may perform the functions for which to tool is used. The assembly includes a post 12 secured at its bottom to plate 14 in turn bolted to the table 10, and braces 16 which include turn buckles 18 are located on each of the four sides of the post 12 to stabilize the system. The post 12 carries a boom 20 movable about the post 12 in a horizontal plane, and the boom 20 in turn supports track 22 beneath it. A trolley 24 rides in the track 22 and carries a balancer 26 having a cable 28 that actually carries the tool 30. While the tool shown is a small hand drill, it is to be understood that other tools may be carried on the cable so long as they may be driven by the power supplied.

In FIG. 2 the details of the post are shown. The post includes an extruded column 32 anchored at its bottom in boss 34 in turn welded or otherwise secured to the plate 14. A shaft 36 extends vertically in the column 32 and is positioned for rotation in the column by a pair of blocks 38 and 39. A lower collar 40 is pinned to the shaft 36 below the lower block 38, and an upper collar 42 is pinned to the shaft above the upper block' 39, and bearings are disposed between the collars and their respective blocks to assure easy rotation of the shaft in the column when it is not otherwise restrained. A thumb screw 44 extends through an opening provided in the column 32 so as to engage the shaft 36 and hold it in any desired position.

for the The boom 20 in turn is secured directly to the top of the shaft 36 so that it may turn about the shaft axis. Thumb screw 44 prevents movement of the boom as it restricts turning of the shaft when tightened. Thus the operator can set the boom-in any desired position above the work space below and it will be retained in that position by tightening the thumb screw.

The boom 20 may typically be an extruded aluminum rectangular section and it carries on its lower side 46 the track 22 which contains trolley 24. The track 22 also may be an extruded aluminum shape having sidewalls 50 and 52, top wall 54, and lower rails 56 and 58 attached to the bottoms of the sidewalls 50 and 52. Each of the rails 56 and 58 provides a V- shaped support 60 for the wheels of the trolley 24. V-shaped grooves in the top wall 54 of the track 22 are located just inboard of the wheels of the trolley when the trolley is mounted in the track as shown in FIG. 4 and serve to stabilize the wheels as they roll along the rails.

The trolley 24 shown in detail in FIGS. 3-5 includes a pair of horizontal bars 62 and 64 that extend in the direction of the track and are separated by spacers 66. Screws 68 and 69 extend vertically through the bars 62 and 64 and the spacers and carry nylon washers 70 and wheel cradles 72 that each in turn carries a pair of nylon wheels 74 and 76. The washers 70 are in fact wheels that lie between the edges of the rails 56 and 58 to further guide the trolley along the track without binding. The wheels of each pair are offset with respect to the direction of the tracks so that the wheels on one side lie ahead of the wheels on the other. This configuration prevents the wheels from canting and binding on the rails. A U-shaped bracket hangs on the lower bar 64 and it carries the balancer 26 below the track 22 as is evident in FIG. 1. In FIGS. 3-5 the bars 62 and 64 are shown disposed beneath the tract 22 so that essentially only the washers 70, wheel cradles 72 and wheels 74 and 76 lie within the track. The remaining portion of the trolley is suspended beneath it. The gap between the two rails 56 and 58 allows the trolley assembly to be suspended below the track.

The balancer 26 contains cable 28, and works in the conventional manner of balances of the type illustrated. The cable may be withdrawn to the extent desired by the operator, and it will not retract into the housing of the balancer unless desired by the operator. The operator can play out as much cable as desired to give him the freedom to perform the intended operations with the tool, and that freedom will be preserved until the operator intentionally directs the cable back into the housing. Ordinarily balancers of this type are also provided with an adjustment so that the cable may retract automatically when it is slack. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 a stop 82 is carried on the cable which provides a positive limit to the amount of cable that may be retracted in the housing.

The end of the cable is secured to the tool 30 by a chain 84 which is somewhat more flexible that the cable so as to provide easier manipulation of the tool by the operator. The chain, however, forms an extension of the cable and supports the tool in the manner illustrated.

While it is desirable that the trolley 24 be movable freely in the track along its length, a brake may be provided as suggested in FIG. 5 to releasably hold the trolley in any selected position. The brake in the embodiment shown includes a plate 86 carried on top of a retractable rod 88 biased to the extended position by spring 90. The plate 86 is biased by the spring to a position wherein it engages the underside of the upper wall 54 of the track to form a friction type of brake for the trolley. However, the load applied to the plate 86 by the spring 90 is such that the trolley may be moved along the track without any appreciably pull. However, the plate 86 provides enough gripping force on the top of the track so as to retain the trolley in place unless it is purposely pulled along the track by the operator.

In FIG. 1 the tool 30 is shown to be pneumatically driven, and it is supplied with pressure through the flexible conductor coil wound about the boom 20 and track 22 and connected at its inlet end 102 to the pipe 104 in turn connected to the filter and lubricator assembly 106. A hose 108 is shown connected to the assembly 106 and is adapted to be connected to a compressed air source.

The outlet end 110 of the coil 100 is connected to a hose clamp 112 carried by the trolley 24, and the end 110 is in turn connected at the clamp to a second flexible conductor coil 114 which generally parallels the chain 84 and is connected to the motor (not shown) within the tool 30. Thus the conductor coils 100 and 114 serve to carry compressed air from the source 108 to the tool so as to drive the tool motor.

While the end 110 of the coil 100 is connected to the clamp 112 carried by one end of the trolley, the adjacent convolution 116 which passes about the boom 20 and track 22 is connected to the other side of the trolley and therefore it is directly moved by the trolley as it travels in the track. Motion of the trolley therefore is not impeded by the convolutions of the coil 100 which are wound about the boom and track, for the trolley directly connected to the convolution 116 serves to push the convolutions to the left as the trolley is moved in that direction. When the trolley is moved in the other direction the convolutions will separate freely, and the clamp 112 will prevent the end of the conduit 100 from interfering with motion in that direction. Of course as the tool is drawn away from the balancer by extending the cable 28, the coil 114 will expand freely so as not to impede movement of the tool. However, when the tool is returned to the position shown near the balancer, the normal bias of the coil 114 prevents the formation of loose coil that could interfere with tool use and generally get in the way.

While in the embodiment shown the boom 20 is connected to the bench and supported in place by the column 12, it will be appreciated that the column 12 may be suspended from the ceiling so that the boom lies beneath it. In this arrangement, the shaft 36 will remain in position as the collars 40 and 42 will prevent the shaft from dropping out of the column. That is, the collars serve to support the shaft in the column with either end uppermost. When the system is supported from the ceiling, it is only necessary to attach the track 22 to the other side of the boom from that shown in FIG. 1 so that it lies beneath the boom.

In FIG. 6 a slightly modified arrangement is shown for the support of the tool. Otherwise, the configuration is the same as in FIG. 1. In this embodiment the tool 30 is supported by the cable 28 which carries stop 82 as in the other embodiment. However, the upper end of the lower conductor coil 114 is rigidly connected to a pipe 140 which is secured to the balancer 142. The upper end of the pipe 140 is in turn connected to hose 144 which in turn is engaged by the clamp 146 and joins the upper coil 100. The balancer 142 is shown carried by the trolley 24 in the manner illustrated in detail in FIGS. 3-5. In all other respects the embodiment of FIG. 6 may be identical to and functions the same as the preferred embodiment shown.

What is claimed is:' 1. A power tool assembly comprising, an overhead track, a trolley movable along the track, a balancer suspended from the trolley for supporting a tool over a range of elevations, and retractable drive media conductor means for supplying power from one end of the track to the location of the trolley and in turn to the tool said conductor means including a conductor portion wound about and encircling the track and expandable as a coil along the track. 2. A power tool assembly as described in claim 1 and further characterized by means secured at a point intermediate the ends of the track for moving the track about a vertical axis. 3. A power tool assembly as described in claim 2 further characterized by said track being channel shaped in cross section and enclosing the trolley. 4. A power tool assembly as described in claim 2 further characterized b said conductor means including at least two conductors,

a coupling carried by the trolley, an end of each conductor being connected to the coupling. 5. A power tool assembly as described in claim 2 further characterized by said conductors being a tube for carrying air under pressure. 6. A power tool assembly as described in claim 2 further characterized by a boom carrying the track and supported adjacent one end, and a post supporting the boom adjacent to one end and adapted to be mounted on a horizontal surface above or below the boom. 7. A power tool assembly as described in claim 6 further characterized by said post including a column and a vertical shaft rotatable in the column and carrying the boom, and means for locking the shaft against rotation. 8. A power tool assembly as described in claim 1 and further characterized by braking means disposed on the trolley for urging the trolley against the track. 

1. A power tool assembly comprising, an overhead track, a trolley movable along the track, a balancer suspended from the trolley for supporting a tool over a range of elevations, and retractable drive media conductor means for supplying power from one end of the track to the location of the trolley and in turn to the tool, said conductor means including a conductor portion wound about and encircling the track and expandable as a coil along the track.
 2. A power tool assembly as described in claim 1 and further characterized by means secured at a point intermediate the ends of the track for moving the track about a vertical axis.
 3. A power tool assembly as described in claim 2 further characterized by said track being channel shaped in cross section and enclosing the trolley.
 4. A power tool assembly as described in claim 2 further characterized by said conductor means including at least two conductors, a coupling carried by the trolley, an end of each conductor being connected to the coupling.
 5. A power tool assembly as described in claim 2 further characterized by said conductors being a tube for carrying air under pressure.
 6. A power tool assembly as described in claim 2 further characterized by a boom carrying the track and supported adjacent one end, and a post supporting the boom adjacent the one end and adapted to be mounted on a horizontal surface above or below the boom.
 7. A power tool assembly as described in claim 6 further characterized by said post including a column and a vertical shaft rotatable in the column and carrying the boom, and means for locking the shaft against rotation.
 8. A power tool assembly as described in claim 1 and further characterized by braking means disposed on the trolley for urging the trolley against the track. 